Law of the Instrument

Give a small boy a hammer, and he will find that everything he encounters needs pounding

Experience is hugely valuable but getting set in your ways is a constant danger. It is important to remain flexible and open minded – to select the appropriate tools, adapt as things change and consider other viewpoints and ideas.

Investigation

Experience should be a guide to where to look but not to second guess what you will find. The BA process forces us not to jump to conclusions or jump to solutions to early.

Tools

I have my favorite tools but it is important to make sure the tool is right for the job and not simply because it is my favorite. Where you could use a Rich Picture you may find a SIPOC is better. A stakeholders map is not the same as RACI. Sometimes detailed Use Case work better than Formal requirements.

Solutions

Having worked on projects that have similar objectives at various organisations I am always surprised by the number of ways the same problems can be solved. Again by following the BA process and not jumping to conclusions we always get to the right solution that works for the organisation I am helping.